Dan's POV

"Don't you dare hurt him!" I screamed, but they ignored me. "Leave him alone! Don't! Phil, get up! Run! Do something!" I couldn't control myself as they approached him. The fear in his eyes was unbearable. "Don't touch him!"

He cowered back in fear as they stepped closer, laying on the ground to prevent them from getting to his chest. One came around his back and held him up while the other aimed the stake at him.

"Stop!" I screamed at them.

Phil didn't yell. He only struggled to break their grip.

"Hey, vampire hunters!" called a familiar voice. "Over here!" The two idiots looked up to see Cynthia with multiple policemen by her side. "That's them," she directed.

"Wait, what's going on?" one of the guys asked, completely confused.

"It's like I said officer," CC reacted. "My friends and I were cosplaying, and these fake 'vampire hunters' came and are trying to kill my friend! Look at this!"

They inspected the two men. "You sure that's what's going on?"

"What does it look like? Come on, you can't tell me you think that my friend Phil here is actually a vampire. It's all a game! But these jerks are so desperate that they intruded on us, and took it seriously."

The cop looked at me, and I nodded along to her story. "Can't you hear me screaming to stop? It's not real, and they're trying to kill him!"

"Are you kidding?!" the kidnapper snapped.

"Ok buddy," the cop said calmly. "Stop disturbing these guys and get out of here. Put him down now."

They dropped Phil to the dirt and untied him. Swearing and red-faced with anger, they were forced to drive off. The police waved us goodnight.

"And hey," one said to Phil, "that is a really fantastic cosplay costume. You look like a real vampire!"

"Oh," he said nervously. "Thanks!"

"Take care, guys." The police finally left us, and we were safe. They were gone. I hugged Cynthia.

"How did you know we were here?!" I yelled excitedly to her. "And to save us?"

"I found you with Phil. He told me to go get help, so I did. Sorry, I kinda had to lie my way there, but it worked."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"No problem," she smiled and yawned. "But it is almost six, and the sun's coming up soon, so I'm going to actually get some sleep, if you don't mind."

"Alright," Phil said. "Thank you so much. We owe you."

"I know," she snickered. "Bye, guys!" With a minor limp in her leg, she strutted down the hill herself.

"Lucky break?"

"Yeah," Phil answered.

"Are you ok?" I asked him.

"Yeah, fine. You?"

"I'm good. Sorry I kinda freaked out. I just didn't want them to hurt you."

He smiled cutely. "It's fine, really."

Phil's POV

He didn't want them to hurt me. I wanted to tell him. I wanted him to tell me. I needed it. The light began to shine as the sun lifted over the horizon, and Dan tried to shield me.

"The sun!" he worried. "You'll burn."

"No," I explained. "No Dan, I figured out why I lost my bat ability, and why I can withstand the sunlight now."

"You can?" He looked at me, trying to piece it all together.

"I'm becoming mortal."

"You mean...."

"I'm not a vampire anymore."

"What? How?"

I recited the lines from the prophecy that I remember from so long ago: "The curse can end through death or fate: a mortal's love will open the gate."

"I'm confused."

"Dan, I can be mortal if another mortal falls in love with me."

His face turned a bit red, from embarrassment and excitement. "R-really?"

"Dan," I said, finally feeling as human as I ever have. "I love you."

His eyes were wide at my words. He seemed so held, like his mind was buzzing. He finally pulled me closer to him, and repeated it to me. "I love you, Phil."

I smiled and cupped my mouth, tears flowing from my face. He told me he loved me. He loved me. Someone loved me. I sniffed and nodded, hugging his body.

Dan pulled my head back, and attempted to kiss me. I hesitated, and shook my head. "My fangs...."

"I don't care."

Worried they'd get in the way, I was reluctant to kiss him, but I did. His lips were warm on mine. I wrapped my hands around the nape of his neck and he let his drop to my waist, keeping me close to him. It was the most wonderful feeling. I felt a surge of warmth and life run through my veins. Dan finally let me go, and looked at my eyes, then my mouth, and gasped.

"What?" I asked nervously. I put my hands to my mouth. It felt different.

"Y-your fangs. They're... gone," he said shakily.

I put my fingers to my teeth. They were all in place, all the same size. No fangs. He was right – they were gone. "Sealed with a kiss," like in the prophecy. Tears fell uncontrollably from my eyes. I smiled to him, and fell on my knees.

"Phil? What is it?" he asked in a hurry, kneeling with me.

"Dan," I tired to say. I couldn't speak. I just pulled his face back into mine and kissed him again. I pulled back and looked at my arms. Instead of pale white, they had a bit of color to them. I laughed, and cried a little more. "Dan," I wheezed. "I-I'm... I'm mortal, Dan. I'm human again. Look at me! No fangs! Peach skin, not white!"

He smiled. "Really?!"

"Look at me! I'm human, Dan!" I cried again into my own hands. Dan hugged around me, not sure what to say.

"So you're not a vampire?" he asked proudly.

I nodded. "I can't believe it. Y-you love me?"

"Yes, I do. I love you, Phil."

"So its true. If a mortal falls in love with a vampire... he is freed from the curse."

"So you're free?"

"Yes," I whispered.

He took my face and held my hand, which was no longer cold. He kissed me over and over as the rising sun silhouetted our shadows. It was warm, and it felt good. It felt free. I was freed.